This invention relates to a process for the continuous machine-washing of institutional crockery in an institutional dishwashing machine comprising a wash zone and a following rinse zone, in which the soiled crockery is successively sprayed with wash liquor in at least three wash zones fed from separate tanks by means of circulation pumps and a system of spray nozzles, the wash liquor cascading preferably from the last to the first tank on the overflow principle and the detergent concentration in the wash liquor first being separately established in the individual tanks by predosing and, after the start of the washing process, being maintained by after-dosing of detergent and inflow of fresh water into the last tank, and in which so-called thorough washing is optionally carried out at relatively long time intervals with a distinctly increased concentration of detergent in the wash liquor.